Suspected militant convicted of killing Indian police

A Delhi court on Thursday convicted suspected militant member Shahzad Ahmad over the death of a police officer during a house raid in 2008.

Shahzad Ahmad was found guilty of killing inspector Mohan Chand Sharma during the raid of a Batla House flat, days after the serial blasts in Delhi.

Two residents of the building were also killed in the incident, locally known as the “Batla House encounter”.

Police say Ahmad is a member of militant group Indian Mujahideen and accused him of involvement in the Delhi blasts which killed 26 people.

The court also found Ahmad guilty of attempted murder, as well as obstructing and assaulting public servants.

Ahmad’s lawyer says he was not present in Batla House at the time of the clash, police say they have “circumstantial evidence” and phone records to prove that he was there, reports BBC.

The case has raised questions by politician and activists alleging that the controversial “encounter” was staged.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who was the Home Minister at the time of the encounter, said: “I looked into the evidence, spoke to the investigating officer and I was satisfied it was a genuine encounter.”